recall 1 of 2

Definition of recallnext

recall

2 of 2

noun

1
as in recollection
a particular act or instance of recalling or the thing remembered his recall of the events of that turbulent time is significantly different from the accounts of other eyewitnesses

Synonyms & Similar Words

2

Synonym Chooser

How is the word recall distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of recall are recollect, remember, remind, and reminisce. While all these words mean "to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind," recall suggests an effort to bring back to mind and often to re-create in speech.

can't recall the words of the song

In what contexts can recollect take the place of recall?

The words recollect and recall are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered.

as near as I can recollect

When can remember be used instead of recall?

The meanings of remember and recall largely overlap; however, remember implies a keeping in memory that may be effortless or unwilled.

remembers that day as though it were yesterday

When is it sensible to use remind instead of recall?

Although the words remind and recall have much in common, remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity.

that reminds me of a story

When could reminisce be used to replace recall?

While in some cases nearly identical to recall, reminisce implies a casual often nostalgic recalling of experiences long past and gone.

old college friends like to reminisce

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of recall
Verb
Olsman recalled when the chairman of Sotheby’s Americas division, George Wachter, first saw the mummy portrait going up for sale this month. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026 No recalls were issued, and officials said potential health risks depend on frequency, duration and overall exposure. Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Noun
As recalls, threats of lawsuits and accusations of regulatory failures filled the airwaves, Nestle and Danone were punished in the stock market. Tara Patel, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026 There was never any real NHTSA recall, Ford sent a sticker to vehicle owners at the time to remind them to use the parking brake. John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs and Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recall
Verb
  • Too often, history is reduced to remembering dates and names.
    Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Just remember, alcohol isn't sold on Sundays in the state.
    Jenny Willden, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • After the devastating Eaton and Palisades wildfire turned the annual event into more of a fundraising effort last year — Davis’ party was one of the few Grammy Week events that wasn’t canceled in 2025 — the 2026 edition went back to its more traditionally celebratory feel.
    Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Feb. 2026
  • Miami flight cancellations The effects of Winter Storm Gianna has caused 20 flights to be canceled in and out of Miami International Airport.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Your recollections may be inaccurate once Mercury enters nebulous Pisces.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026
  • According to Epstein’s recollection of their conversation, Crist was shocked at what the prosecutor said.
    Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Warm weather and a lack of snow forced the cancellation of seven of the first eight World Cup downhill and snowboard competitions in 2022-23.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Police did not provide further details on the alert cancellation.
    Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • And so, after decades of lying abandoned, the area was slowly repopulated.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026
  • That merger was necessary made after 16 Rural schools abandoned that division and signed on with the SSAA.
    Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Pearce has no memory of the accident, nor of the harrowing month that followed.
    Sean Gregory, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Those who provided childcare scored higher on memory and verbal fluency tests compared to those who didn’t, even after adjusting for age, health and other factors.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Dabrowski, while supporting a repeal of the SAFE-T Act, acknowledged the Blue Line incident was an outlier.
    Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
  • If the council truly wants to restore trust, repeal is the bare minimum.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • That hard-line stance came as some House Democrats voiced opposition to the stopgap funding for DHS, which was a compromise granted by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in order to scrap the original bill funding the agency.
    Zach LaChance, The Washington Examiner, 2 Feb. 2026
  • Sometimes, that means having to scrap certain ideas at the last minute and make adjustments to pre-set plans on a whim.
    Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recall. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.

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